Campaign notebook

Posted: Wednesday, October 25, 2000

The Athens Daily News and Banner-Herald periodically will publish short items about the 2000 election campaign in notebook format. Based on reporter contributions and news releases sent to the newspapers, the Campaign Notebook will contain items that in and of themselves do not quite fit the format for individual news articles. Items may be faxed to Campaign Notebook at (706) 208-2246 or e-mailed to news@onlineathens.com.

Bracewell endorsed by conservation group

Georgia Conservation Voters today announced its support for Ruth Barrow Bracewell for election in Georgia House District 91, which includes Morgan, Oconee and part of Newton counties.

Bracewell, a Democrat, faces Republican Bob Smith in the Nov. 7 general election.

''Ruth Bracewell understands the value of clean water and healthy air,'' said Sam Collier, executive director of Georgia Conservation Voters, said to announce the endorsement. ''Our children's health and the future vitality of our economy hinge on reducing pollution into our air, lakes and streams, and leaving a heritage of greenspace for our children to enjoy. Ruth Bracewell will work for these goals, and for this reason, she earns our support.''

Smith's voting record earned him a 9 percent rating on the 1999-2000 Georgia Conservation Voters legislative scorecard, one of the lowest in the state.

Georgia Conservation Voters is a non-partisan statewide organization focused on lobbying and electoral action to protect Georgia's air, water and wildlife habitat. The 1999-2000 legislative scorecard is available on the World Wide Web at www.protectgeorgia.org.

Nader ''clean money'' van in Athens today

One of Green Party presidential candidate Ralph Nader's Corporate Influence Clean-Up Crew vans will be in Athens today.

The van will be at the Tate Center plaza on the University of Georgia campus off South Lumpkin Street beginning at 3 p.m.

Campaign finance reform is a major theme of Nader's candidacy. His campaign, which has raised $5 million, according to the candidate, accepts no corporate soft money contributions and no political action committee contributions. The $5 million raised by the campaign has come from individual contributions averaging less than $100 each.

More information on the Nader campaign is available on the World Wide Web at www.votenater.org.

Norwood endorsed by law-enforcement

Tenth District Georgia Congressman Charlie Norwood, R-Evans, has received the endorsement of the Law Enforcement Alliance of America, an organization with more than 65,000 members and supporters across the country.

Norwood, whose district includes Oglethorpe, Elbert and Greene counties, was endorsed for his ''commitment to effective law enforcement, meaningful criminal justice reform and protecting individuals' rights,'' according to a press release from the LEAA.